Randy Redekopp
The Spanish Peaks and Lone Mountain catching the last golden sunlight above valleys in deep blue shadow.

Spanish Peaks & Lone Mountain

Montana outline with a locator in the southwest.

Madison Range, Montana

Illustrated skyline identifying Wilson Peak, Gallatin Peak, and Lone Mountain on the lower peak second from the right.

Field Notes

I was nearing the end of a long day of gridwork north of Bozeman, exploring new roads and looking for old barns.

Every once in a while, the mountains look impossibly close. I’ve never quite figured out what causes it. Sometimes the distance just seems to disappear.

This was one of those evenings.

The Spanish Peaks looked remarkably close, their snowy summits catching the last sunlight while the valleys below had already fallen into deep blue shadow. Far off in the distance, I noticed something reflecting the sunset, but I couldn’t tell what it was.

At the time, I thought I was only photographing the Spanish Peaks.

When I got home, I zoomed into the images and started exploring Google Earth. That’s when I realized Lone Mountain was in the frame too. The mysterious glint I had noticed was sunlight reflecting off the ski patrol hut near the summit.

What surprised me most was the perspective. From that far north, I had stumbled onto a view of Big Sky I had never seen before.

I’d spent the day looking for barns. I came home with this.

A closer view of Lone Mountain, with a bright glint of sunlight at the summit patrol hut.
Sunlight reflecting off the ski patrol hut near the summit of Lone Mountain.
Taylor beside the finished Spanish Peaks panorama installed above a leather sofa at Aevum in Billings.
Installed at Aevum Functional HealthTaylor with the finished Spanish Peaks panorama at Aevum in Billings, Montana.
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